strong
crew."

"Send the crew aft, Joe. I will tell them how matters stand.

"We have had a narrow escape of catching a tartar, my lads," he
said, when the men went aft. "You all know Mr. Repton swam off, an
hour ago, to try and find out what the ship was like. Well, he has
been on board, and brings back news that she is no trader, but a
ship of war, disguised; and that she carries twenty-four
guns--eighteen-pounders and thirty-twos. If we met while out at
sea, we might make a fight of it; but it would never do, here,
especially as her two consorts would be down upon us. She suspects
what we are, although she is not certain; and everything is in
readiness to repel a boat attack--her captain's intention being, if
we tried, to sink or cripple the boats, and then to attack us with
her guns.

"So you may thank Mr. Repton that you have had a narrow escape of
seeing the inside of a Spanish prison.

"Now, what I propose to do is to tow her out. Get the four boats in
the water, as quietly as you can. We have greased the falls,
already. We will tow her straight ahead, at any rate for a bit.
That craft won't be able to bring any guns to bear upon us, except
perhaps a couple of bow chasers; and as she won't be able to see
us, there is not much chance of our being hit. Pass the hawser
along, from boat to boat, and row in a line ahead of her. The hull
will shelter you. Then lay out heartily; but be ready, if you are
hailed, to throw off the hawser and get back on board again, as
soon as you can, for they may send their boats out after us. We
shall get a start anyhow for, when they hear you rowing, they will
think you are putting off to attack them; and it will be some
minutes before they will find out their mistake.

"Joe, do you go in charge of the boats. I will take the helm. You
must cut the cable. They would hear the clank of the windlass."

The operation of lowering boats was conducted very silently. Bob
had taken his place at the taffrail, and stood listening for any
sound that would show that the Spaniards had heard what was doing.
The oars were scarcely dipped in the water, when he heard a sudden
lull in the distant talking. A minute later, it broke out again.

"They have orders to pay no attention to the noises," Captain
Lockett said, "so as to lead us to think that we shall take them
unawares.

"There, she is moving now," he added, as he looked down into the
water.

Four or five minutes elapsed; and then, in